Survey data reveals shocking ‘Insulin Pump Postcode Lottery’
Thousands of diabetics are missing out on cost effective NHS treatment
A comprehensive new survey of all 152 PCTs undertaken and published by the Medical Technology Group (MTG), backed by national diabetes support groups INPUT, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), clinicians and leading cross-party MPs,has exposed major inequities in care for patients with diabetes across the country. The findings show that 17% of patients with type 1 diabetes in Blackburn with Darwen PCT benefit from insulin pump therapy, compared with only 0.4% in Luton, leaving tens of thousands of patients with type 1 diabetes without access to the right treatment from the NHS.
The MTG is the UK’s leading coalition of patient groups, research charities and medical device manufacturers working to improve access to cost effective medical technologies. The survey, launched as part of the MTG’s ‘Pump Action’ campaign confirmed that overall uptake and utilisation for insulin pump therapy remains extremely low, just a third of the NICE benchmark for the therapy.
The MTG conducted the survey to facilitate better understanding of the causes of this problem, which persists despite years of government study and established guidance which recommends greater utilisation of insulin pumps. The survey found that:
· The average rate of insulin pump provision for people with type 1 diabetes is 3.9% compared to the 12% benchmark recommended by NICE;
· Only two PCTs gave information which suggests they are providing insulin pumps in line with the NICE benchmark;
· Only 5 out of 113 PCTs have a strategy in place to implement NICE guidance on insulin pumps in line with their statutory duty to adhere to NICE technology appraisals within 3 months of issue
For the full press release see here
